Letter 12.24

I miss no opportunity, as indeed I should not, not only to praise you but even to secure honors for you. Still, I would rather you learn of my zeal and services toward you from the letters of your family than from mine. For your part, I urge you to devote yourself with every care to the republic. This is the proper work for a spirit and character like yours; it is what is demanded by the hope you ought to have of increasing your standing. I will write more fully about this another time. At the moment everything is suspended. The envoys whom the senate sent have not yet returned. They were sent not to beg for peace, but to declare war if Antony refused to comply with the senate's message. Nevertheless, as soon as the opportunity was given me, I spoke in defense of the constitution in my old style. I put myself forward as a leader of the senate and Roman people, and from the moment I undertook the cause of liberty I have not lost a single instant in supporting the common safety and freedom. But I would rather you hear this too from others. I commend Titus Pinarius to you, my very close friend, with all the earnestness I can. I am deeply attached to him both for all his fine qualities and for the interests we have in common. He is managing the accounts and business affairs of our friend Dionysius, whom you value greatly and whom I regard as one of the first of men. This recommendation ought not to need any word from me, but I make it all the same. Please, then, let me learn from the letters of Pinarius, who is an extremely grateful man, of your kindness both to him and to Dionysius.

DCCCXIV (Fam. XII, 24) TO QUINTUS CORNIFICIUS (IN AFRICA) ROME (JANUARY) I OMIT no opportunity — as is indeed my bounden duty-not only of sounding your praises, but even of securing you marks of distinction. But my exertions on your behalf I prefer being known to you from the letters of your family rather than from my own. Nevertheless, I exhort you, on your part, to throw yourself heart and soul into the cause of the Republic. This is the proper task of a spirit and a character such as yours: it is this which is called for by the hope, which you ought to entertain, of enhancing your position. But on this point at greater length at another time. For at the moment of writing this everything is in a state of suspense. The ambassadors have not yet returned, whom the senate sent, not to beg for peace, but to proclaim war in case he did not comply with the message of its emissaries. Nevertheless, as soon as the opportunity was afforded me, I spoke in defence of the constitution in my old style. I put myself forward as a leader of the senate and Roman people: nor have I since thus undertaking the cause of freedom lost a single moment in supporting the common safety and liberty. But this, too, I should prefer your learning from others. I commend Titus Pinarius to you — my most intimate friend-with an earnestness beyond which I cannot go. I am very much attached to him for all his high qualities as well as for the tastes which we have in common. He is managing the accounts and business affairs of our friend Dionysius , of whom you are very fond, while I regard him as one of the first of men. This recommendation ought not to require any word of mine, yet I make it all the same. Pray therefore let me learn from Pinarius 's letters — that most grateful of men — of your kind ness both to him and Dionysius .

XXIV. Scr. Romae ineunte mense Ianuario a.u.c. 711. CICERO CORNIFICIO SAL. Ego nullum locum praetermitto—nec enim debeo—non modo laudandi tui, sed ne ornandi quidem; sed mea studia erga te et officia malo tibi ex tuorum litteris quam ex meis esse nota. Te tamen hortor, ut omni cura in rem publicam incumbas: hoc est animi, hoc est ingenii tui, hoc eius spei, quam habere debes, amplificandae dignitatis tuae. Sed hac de re alias ad te pluribus; quum enim haec scribebam, in exspectatione erant omnia: nondum legati redierant, quos senatus non ad pacem deprecandam, sed ad denuntiandum bellum miserat, nisi legatorum nutio paruisset. Ego tamen, ut primum occasio data est, meo pristino more rem publicam defendi: me principem senatui populoque Romano professus sum, nec postea, quam suscepi causam libertatis, minimum tempus amisi tuendae salutis libertatisque communis. Sed haec quoque te ex aliis malo. T. Pinarium, familiarissimum meum, tanto tibi studio commendo, ut maiore non possim; cui quum propter omnes virtutes, tum etiam propter studia communia sum amicissimus. Is procurat rationes negotiaque Dionysii nostri, quem et tu multum amas et ego omnium plurimum; ea tibi ego non debeo commendare, sed commendo tamen. Facies igitur, ut ex Pinarii, gratissimi hominis, litteris tuum et erga illum et erga Dionysium studium perspiciamus.